Closings and Delays

Yancey County Schools Inclement Weather Information

In the case of inclement or severe weather, all staff and student homes that have provided active phone numbers will be called using the Alert Now communication system. Local radio stations (WKYK, WWNC and WKSF) are also notified. Parents and students are encouraged to listen to one of these radio stations as a source of information concerning delays, closings, or early dismissals of Yancey County Schools. Secondary sources of information are the following TV stations: WLOS, WYFF, WSOC, WBTV, WCYB, WSPA, WJHL and WHNS. This information will also be posted on the School Announcement Line at 682-7322 and on the Yancey County Schools Facebook Page. Follow these links for current Closings & Delays.

Wkyk or join our Facebook Page.

During times when inclement weather is forecasted, school personnel remain in continuous contact with local law enforcement, local DOT officials and the Highway Patrol who always monitor weather conditions. YCS staff members are on the roads by 4:00 a.m. checking the conditions across the county. The decision to close or delay school is made by school officials between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m. Local media are notified of any school cancellation, early dismissal or delay and given information of alternate schedules or other pertinent information. If these media sources are not announcing information concerning Yancey County Schools, then the schools will operate on a normal schedule.

When the decision is made to have school on a delayed schedule, YCS staff will follow Administrative Procedure # 1 as follows:

Regarding early dismissal for weather-related reasons:

    1. Non-Certified Staff will be required to use comp time or Annual Leave time to make up hours short for their designated work week (37 ½ hours for TA’s; 40 hours for all other clerical, custodial or maintenance staff).
    2. Certified Staff will leave at the time announced by the Superintendent.
    3. Custodians will work until their tasks are completed.
    4. Administrators will leave at their discretion.*

Regarding school start delays:

    1. Certified Staff, Non-Certified Staff and Administrators are to report to work at their regularly scheduled time. (While no employees are expected to place themselves in jeopardy in order to get to school on time, late arrivals are to be the exception; not the rule.)
    2. In the event, based on the judgment of the superintendent, that road conditions pose a serious safety hazard, the superintendent may allow Certified and Non-Certified Staff to follow the same snow schedule as students. This will be specified on WKYK, the school announcement phone line, the system website and the Yancey County Schools Facebook page. Certified Staff will not be required to make up any missed time and will not have a reduction in pay, since these staff members are salaried. Non-Certified Staff may select from one of three options to ensure a full work day.

- Come to school at the regular time.

- Make up the time missed during the same work week that the time was missed.

- Arrive late and use leave or comp time to make up the missed time.

Non-Certified Staff are hourly workers and cannot be paid for hours not worked.

7. On snow schedule days custodians are to report to work at their regular time,

weather permitting.

* The principal, or the principal’s designee, will remain at school until all buses return.

Student Activities

8. In the event school is dismissed due to inclement weather related reasons, after-school activities such as athletic practice, club meetings, etc. will also be cancelled unless in the opinion of the principal with input from the athletic director there is no eminent danger to students.

9. It will be the responsibility of the principal with input from the coach or activity sponsor to determine if evening activities such as games, plays, etc. will occur on days that school is dismissed early.

Please remember that when we have a delayed schedule, buses will be on the road as early as 8:00 a.m. This is typically the time that most faculty and staff should be arriving for work on a delayed schedule. Our hope is that everyone will exercise caution and use good judgment in making the decision about their response to the various school closing situations.

Because we are a small county, YCS staff must take the weather of the entire county into account when making decisions regarding delays, closures and dismissals. The administration reserves the right to use Saturday as a make-up day in the event it is deemed necessary.